(Washington, D.C.) On July 22^nd and 23^rd, U.S. Rep. Mike Ross (AR-04) led a delegation of Arkansas State Legislators to a House Agriculture Committee Field Hearing in Marshall, Minnesota, which focused on Biofuels and the writing of the 2007 Farm Bill.

“The cost and availability of energy will be one of the most important domestic issues to face our nation this century,” said Rep. Mike Ross.  “Solving our energy crisis is going to take a multi-faceted approach consisting of increased domestic production, conservation, the use of alternative and renewable energy sources, utilizing energy efficient technologies, and end-user participation.  This trip was extremely educational and it provided us with a glimpse of what the state of Arkansas could become-- a national leader in the production of alternative fuels.”     

Ross, along with State Sen. Jimmy Jeffress (Dist. 24, Crossett), State Rep. Allen Maxwell (Dist. 10, Monticello) and State Rep. Scott Sullivan (Dist. 21, DeQueen), attended a House Agriculture Committee hearing on Saturday at the invitation of the Committee’s ranking member U.S. Rep. Collin C. Peterson (MN -07).  The hearing was held in Marshall, Minnesota at Southwest Minnesota State University. 

Following the hearing, Ross and the state legislators toured several facilities to see how the state of Minnesota has become a national leader in lessoning our country’s dependence on foreign sources of energy through the encouragement of alternative fuels.  Ross, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, believes that the state of Arkansas is primed to also become a national leader in the production of biofuels, specifically in the production of ethanol and bio-diesel, which he said would create exciting new markets for Arkansas farmers.  

Ross pointed to several examples of alternative energy sources already in use in Minnesota he and the state legislators saw first-hand including:

·                    The ability a of single county in Minnesota to generate, through the use of wind turbines, as much power as two natural gas-powered electric generating plants in Arkansas. 

·                    The use of chicken fat to make bio-diesel, an efficient, clean burning alternative fuel.

·                    The use of chicken litter and chicken feathers to create energy that can power towns the size of Warren or Prescott, Arkansas.

·                    Prices reduced at the pump for consumers due to state laws in Minnesota that require that all gasoline have a 10 percent ethanol blend.

·                    The use of E85 (85 percent ethanol blended fuel), and Flex Fuel technology to dramatically reduce the prices consumers pay at the pump.  Ross pointed to how Minnesota residents currently have the ability to pay $2.34 a gallon for E85 fuel, while Arkansas consumers are currently paying about $2.80 for their gas. 

“I’m proud that we had the opportunity to see how these technologies are already being utilized today to help us lesson our reliance on foreign oil,” Ross said.  “Hopefully we’ll see the Arkansas legislature consider some of these ideas in their January legislative session and I’ll continue to use my seat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee to address our nation’s energy crisis on the national level by promoting the use of renewable fuels like ethanol and bio-diesel.” 

Saturday’s hearing also focused on numerous agriculture-related issues likely to come before Congress in next year’s farm bill.  Ross provided testimony encouraging the House Agriculture Committee to include an energy title in the 2007 farm bill, as well as a new title making disaster payments permanent. 

“We are kidding ourselves if we believe we will not have a drought or a flood occur somewhere in the United States every twelve months, and often times, we see both as well as other natural disasters like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” Ross said.  “It is wrong to keep our farm families and their bankers guessing when and if we will pass emergency disaster assistance each year.”

In addition, Ross advocated that disaster payments should not be based on crop yields, as many farmers have the ability through irrigation to have good crop yields even in times of drought.  He reminded Committee members that in times of drought, the most substantial added costs come from the higher prices of diesel fuel needed to irrigate a crop, which can result in both high yields and losing money on a crop at the same time.   

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